Center-filled confectionery product and method

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides a center-filled confectionery product and a method for making the same. The center-filled confectionery product includes a fill portion which may be a liquid and an outer portion composed of a confectionery material. The fill portion is within the outer confectionery portion. The confectionery product further includes a flange composed of the confectionery material that surrounds the periphery of the confectionery product. The center-filled confectionery product may be coated.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.60/733,517 filed on Nov. 4, 2005 and U.S. patent application Ser. No.60/821,373 filed on Aug. 3, 2006, the entire content of each applicationincorporated herein.

BACKGROUND

Liquid or center-filled gum and other center-filled confectioneryproducts enjoy widespread popular appeal. These products typicallyexhibit a soft, chewy or pliable outer portion that surrounds a flavoredliquid or syrup center portion. The filled candy is often coated with ahard or a soft candy shell.

A problem encountered in the large scale production of such candies isthe inability to adequately control and coordinate the flow rate of thecenter-fill material and/or the confectionery extrudate with theindividual piece forming process. Poor control and coordination of theseprocess parameters results in improperly sealed center fillconfectionery pieces. Improperly sealed pieces are particularlytroublesome as unsealed confectionery pieces leak a sticky, viscousfluid onto acceptable product pieces and/or production equipment. Thus,leaked fill material deleteriously impacts otherwise acceptableconfectionery pieces, contributes to material waste, and causesequipment stoppage. Moreover, conventional center fill productionsystems based on single rope extrusions are inherently limited inproduct output.

A need exists for an apparatus and method for controlling andcoordinating the extrusion process and the piece forming process,particularly in large scale production systems for center-filledconfectioneries. A need further exists for a production system thatovercomes the limitations of single rope extrusion systems. Stillfurther, a need exists for a center-filled confectionary product thatmay be mass-produced efficiently and with minimal or no defectiveproduct.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure sets forth a center-filled confectionery product.In an embodiment, the center-filled confectionery product may be formedfrom a plurality of center-filled confectionery ropes that are adjoinedor connected to each other to form a single uniform extrudate. Themultiple rope extrudate may be sealed to form a sealed center-filledconfectionery component which may include a web of adjoined sealedcenter-filled confectionery pieces. The web may be separated into aplurality of discrete or separate sealed center-filled individualconfectionery products.

In an embodiment, the extrudate may further include a fill portioncomprised of a fill material that is encased or otherwise surrounded inan outer confectionery material. In a further embodiment, the fillmaterial may be a liquid and the outer confectionery material may be achewing gum. In an embodiment, each sealed center-filled individualconfectionery product may include a peripheral flange that extendsaround an outer perimeter of the confectionery product. In anembodiment, the peripheral flange may include only the outerconfectionery material and be substantially free, or free, of the fillmaterial. In a further embodiment, the fill material may be cooled priorto extrudate formation in order to cool the extrudate from the inside.The fill material may have a temperature of from about 1° C. to about10° C.

In an embodiment, the center-filled confectionery product may include acoating. The coating may be on the outer surface of the outer portion.The coating may be composed of a coating material and may form a hardshell or a soft shell coating on the center-filled confectioneryproduct. The coating material may be applied to the web of adjoinedsealed confectionery pieces, or to each individual sealed center-filledconfectionery product.

In an embodiment, the center-filled confectionery product may includeone or more sealed ends resulting from a forming process the crimps andcuts the extrudate during the production process.

In an embodiment a method for producing a center-filled confectioneryproduct is provided. The method includes separating a web of adjoinedsealed center-filled confectionery pieces into a plurality of individualcenter-filled confectionery products. As a result of the pieceseparation, the method includes forming a flange around a periphery ofeach center-filled confectionery product. In an embodiment, the methodmay include extruding an extrudate that is composed of a plurality ofadjoined center-filled confectionery ropes and sealing opposing ends ofthe extrudate to form the web of adjoined sealed center-filledconfectionery pieces. The separation of the web may include breaking theweb along strands of the confectionery material which adjoin thecenter-filled confectionery ropes to each other.

In an embodiment, the method may include coating the web with a coatingmaterial. In yet a further embodiment, the method may entail coating theplurality of center-filled confectionery products with a coatingmaterial.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will beapparent from, the following Detailed Description and the Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for producing acenter-filled confectionery in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus for producing acenter-filled extrudate in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of area 5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an extrudate in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a forming device in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a center-filledconfectionery component in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a center-filled confectionery piece inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the Figures generally, where like reference numerals denotelike structure and elements, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3, anapparatus 10 for producing a center-filled confectionery is shown.Apparatus 10 includes an extruder 12, and a forming device 60.

Extruder 12 includes a manifold 14 that defines a passageway 16 havingan inlet 18 and an outlet 20. A plurality of annular conduits 22 mayextend through a portion of passageway 14. Although FIGS. 1, 2 and 4show 10 conduits extending through the passageway, it is understood thatapparatus 10 may include from about 2 conduits to about 10 conduits, orabout 20 conduits, or about 30 or more conduits, or any number ofconduits therebetween. In an embodiment, conduits 22 are substantiallyparallel to each other and may be disposed in a spaced apart lineararrangement as shown in FIG. 2.

Extruder 12 also includes an exit port 24 having an orifice 26. Exitport 24 may be secured to manifold 14 to provide fluid communicationbetween passageway outlet 20 and orifice 26. Each conduit has an inletend 28 and a discharge end 30. As conduits 22 may be arranged in aspaced apart manner, so too may discharge ends 30 be arranged in aspaced apart manner in orifice 26. Orifice 26 has a width A (FIG. 4)with sufficient length to accommodate spaced apart discharge ends 30. Inan embodiment discharge ends 30 are disposed in a spaced apart lineararrangement in orifice 26 as best seen in FIG. 4.

Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, orifice 26 includes an outer edge 27 having awavy contour to give orifice 26 a shape that resembles a string ofbeads. Outer edge 27 defines a plurality of spaced apart wide portions32 with narrow portions 34 disposed therebetween. Wide portions 32correspond to the areas of orifice 26 in which conduit discharge ends 30are disposed. Consequently, wide portions 32 each have an extent ordiameter B (as seen in FIG. 5) that traverses discharge end 30 and alsotraverses a portion of orifice 26. Discharge ends 30 may be consideredto be substantially concentrically disposed within respective wideportions 32 so that wide portions 32 substantially surround respectivedischarge ends 30. In an embodiment, diameter B may have a length fromabout 1.0 mm to about 10 mm, or about 2 mm to about 8 mm, or about 3 mmto about 5 mm.

Orifice 26 also includes narrow portions 34, the narrow portionsdisposed between wide portions 32. In other words, narrow portions 34connect or otherwise adjoin adjacent wide portions 32 thereby forming asingle unitary orifice 26. Each narrow portion 34 has a distanceinterval C that extends between opposing edges 27 of the orifice. As canbe seen in FIG. 5, distance interval C does not traverse a conduitdischarge end. In an embodiment, extent B may be greater in length thandistance interval C. In a further embodiment, distance interval C mayhave a length from about 0.3 mm to about 1.5 mm, or about 0.5 mm toabout 1.0 mm.

In an embodiment, passageway 16 may be adapted to receive a fluidconfectionery 36 from a source (not shown) of confectionery materialsuch as a mixer or a hopper for example, as is commonly known in theart. The confectionery material may be any hard candy, soft candy,chewing gum, or other confectionery substance, or compound that has afluid phase or may take a fluid or a pliable form. In other words, theconfectionery material may be heated or melted, form a syrup, or bedissolved in a liquid to become flowable or fluid as is commonly knownin the art. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the moisturecontent (and concomitant viscosity) of the confectionery material mayvary greatly. The moisture content of the flowable phase of theconfectionery substrate may typically be in the range of about 0.5% toabout 20% by weight of the confectionery material. The fluidconfectionery material may be subsequently cooled or solidified at roomtemperature to form a solid or semi-solid confectionery. Nonlimitingexamples of suitable confectionery materials that are fluid or mayplaced into a fluid or pliable state include pastes, gels, syrups,liquids or solids for making hard candies, soft candies, lollipops,fondants, toffees, taffies, jellies (or gel candy), chewing gums,chocolates, gelatins and nougats. The fluid confectionery material mayinclude sugar or may be sugar-free. Coloring may be added to the fluidconfectionery material as desired. The confectionery material may alsoinclude a pharmaceutical product, an active ingredient, or a medicament.In an embodiment, fluid confectionery 36 may be a chewing gum. Althoughthe present disclosure is directed to confectionery materials, apparatus10 may be used to form other extrudable center-filled items such asother extrudable foods (i.e., starches, pastas) as well as center-filledpolymeric materials and products.

Conduit inlet ends 28 may be adapted to receive a fill material 38 froma fill source (not shown). Fill material 38 may be a flowable solidmaterial (i.e., a granular or powder material), a fluid confectionerymaterial, a liquid, a gel, a paste and combinations thereof. Similar tofluid confectionery 36, fill material 38 may be any hard candy, softcandy, chewing gum, or other confectionery substance, or compound thathas a fluid phase, may take a fluid form, or may be flowable. Fillmaterial 36 may include a pharmaceutical product, an active ingredient,or a medicament. Indeed, fluid confectionery 36 and fill material 38 maybe the same or different material. Fill material 38 may be heated,melted, dissolved, form a syrup, or become flowable or fluid as iscommonly known in the art. Consequently, fill material 38 may be aliquid, a semi-liquid, a syrup, a gel, a paste, a semi-solid, or aflowable solid such as a granular solid or a confectionery in powderform at ambient conditions. In an embodiment, fill material 38 may be aliquid with a viscosity that may be adjusted as desired. The liquid maybe further sweetened, flavored, and/or colored as desired. In a furtherembodiment, fill material 38 may be a thixotropic fluid—i.e., a fluid orgel that becomes a fluid when agitated, stirred or shaken, and returnsto a semisolid state upon standing. One of ordinary skill in the artwould understand that the viscosity of a thixotropic fluid lowers thelonger the fluid/gel undergoes shear, with viscosity increasing when thefluid/gel is at rest to return the fluid/gel to a stable solid orsemisolid state at rest.

Extruder 12 includes a drive mechanism (not shown) as is commonly knownin the art to drive, force, or otherwise push fluid confectionery 36into passageway inlet 18 as shown by arrow D of FIG. 3. Fluidconfectionery 36 proceeds through passageway 16, through passagewayoutlet 20 and through orifice 26. At orifice 26, fluid confectionery 36fills the entire area of the orifice, filling orifice wide and narrowportions 32, 34. In so doing, fluid confectionery 36 surrounds orotherwise encases conduit discharge ends 30 at orifice 26.

In an embodiment, passageway 16 may include a bend 40. Bend 40 changesthe flow direction of confectionery 36 through manifold 14 as indicatedby curved arrow E of FIG. 3. Bend 40 may alter the confectionery flowangle from about 1° to about 90°. In an embodiment, bend 40 may have anangle of about 90° as shown in FIG. 3.

Extruder 12 may also include a flow regulator 42 to control the flow offill material 38 from the fill material source into and through conduits22 as shown by arrow F in FIG. 3. Each conduit 22 may have a dedicatedflow regulator. Alternatively, a single flow regulator may control theflow of fill material 38 into all conduits 22. Fill material 38continues through conduits 22 and is discharged from discharge ends 30at orifice 26. Confectionery 36, surrounding each discharge end 30 atorifice 26, subsequently surrounds or otherwise encases the flow of eachrespective fill material 38 upon exit from orifice 26. Extruder 12thereby forms a continuous extrudate 44 that includes a plurality ofcenter-filled confectionery ropes 46, the number of ropes correspondingto the number of conduits 22. Each rope 46 includes an inner portion 48of fill material 38 and an outer portion 50 of the fluid confectionery36, the outer portion 50 surrounding or wholly encasing inner portion 48of fill material as shown in FIG. 6. Extrudate 44 flows from extruder 12in the direction of arrow G as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. 6 showsstrand portions 52, corresponding to fluid confectionery 36 extrudedfrom narrow portions 34. Strand portions 52 extend between adjacentropes 46 adjoining or otherwise attaching ropes 46 to each other.Consequently, extrudate 44 may be considered an integral extrudate.

Continuous extrudate 44 may be received by a transport device 54, suchas a conveyor, for example. In an embodiment, transport device 54 may bea belt cooler that receives and transports extrudate 44 away fromextruder 12 and simultaneously cools the extrudate. In an embodiment,apparatus 10 may include sizing rollers 56 to reduce the diameter ofone, some, or all of confectionery ropes 46 as is commonly known in theart.

In an embodiment, transport device 54 transports extrudate 44 to formingdevice 60 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. Forming device 60 may include afirst forming member 62 and a second forming member 64, forming members62, 64 disposed on opposing of extrudate 44. Each forming member 62, 64may be constructed or otherwise shaped to form half of finished product,forming members 62, 64 mating to form a full or complete confectionerypiece or web, when forming members 62, 64 are placed in registrationwith each other. Forming members 62, 64 may cooperatively engageextrudate 44 in order to crimp and cut extrudate 44, thereby forming asealed center-filled confectionery component 66.

In an embodiment, forming device 60 may be a pair of opposing rotatingdrums 68, 70 disposed on opposing sides of extrudate 44, drums 68, 70contra-rotating to form sealed center-filled component 66. In thisembodiment, first forming member 62 may be disposed on a circumferentialsurface of rotating drum 68. First forming member 62 may extend alongsubstantially the entire length of drum 68 in order to accommodate theentire width of extrudate 44. In a further embodiment, rotating drum 68may include a plurality of first forming members 62, the forming membersextending around substantially the entire circumferential surface ofdrum 68 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7.

Similarly, second forming member 64 may be disposed on a circumferentialsurface of rotating drum 70. In an embodiment, a plurality of formingmembers 64 may cover substantially the entire circumferential,peripheral, or outer surface of rotating drum 70. Rotating drums 68, 70may rotate in contrary motion as indicated by arrows H and I, to bringforming members 62, 64 into cooperative registration with each other.First and second forming members 62, 64 are configured to matingly formthe shape of the final confectionery product when brought intocooperative engagement with each other. Rotation of drums 68, 70 bringsforming members 62, 64 into contact with extrudate 44, whereby continueddrum rotation crimps or otherwise squeezes opposing sides of outerportion 50 into contact with each other to form a seal around innerportion 48 (i.e., fill material 38) of each confectionery rope 46.Further rotation of drums 68, 70 brings forming members 62, 64 intofurther cooperation with each other to perforate or otherwise cutextrudate 44 and form sealed center-filled confectionery component 66.The shape of each forming member 62, 64 may be varied as desired toyield a confectionery component having an spheroidal, polygonal,elliptical shape as desired. Although FIG. 7 shows extrudate 44, aplurality of center-filled extrudate ropes, passing through formingdevice 60, it is understood that forming device 60 may be used to form asealed confectionery piece from a single center-filled rope extrudate.

In an embodiment, sealed center-filled confectionery component 66 mayinclude a web 72 of adjoined sealed center-filled confectionery piecesas shown in FIG. 8. Segments of strand portion 52 adjoin thecenter-filled pieces. The number of pieces may correspond to the numberof individual center-filled ropes 46 of extrudate 44. Outer portion 50surrounds or otherwise wholly encases inner portion 48 as shown in FIG.8. Each individual sealed center-filled confectionery piece may beidentified by its pillow shape as seen in FIG. 8.

Alternatively, apparatus 10 may include a cutting device (not shown)positioned upstream of forming device 60. The cutting device may cutextrudate 44 along strand portions 52 to form a plurality of discrete orindividual center-filled confectionery ropes prior to passage into theforming device. Consequently, when the plurality of individualcenter-filled ropes are exposed to the crimping and cutting process uponpassage through forming device 60, a plurality of discrete sealedcenter-filled individual confectionery pieces may be formed.

In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may include dispenser (not shown)upstream of forming device 60, the dispenser positioned on either orboth sides of extrudate 44. The dispenser may be used to apply or sprayan adhesion reducer onto some or all of the exterior surface area ofextrudate 44. Nonlimiting examples of suitable adhesion reducers includeoil, food grade oil, talc, calcium carbonate and combinations thereof.In an embodiment, the adhesion reducer may be a food grade oil.Application of an adhesion reducer onto extrudate 44 prior to passagethrough forming device 60 advantageously reduces the occurrence ofadherence of extrudate 44 to the forming device and improves thereleasability of component 66 from first and/or second forming members62, 64.

As is known in the art, adhesion of freshly extruded confectionerymaterial processing equipment and components downstream of the extrudateis a constant problem. In an embodiment, extrudate 44 may be cooledupstream of forming device 60 upon contact to transport device 54 thatmay be a cooling belt. In a further embodiment, fill material 38 may bedelivered through conduits 22 at a reduced temperature. In anembodiment, the temperature of fill material 38 upon exit from orifice26 may be from about 1° C. to about 15° C. or about 3° C. to about 10°C. Provision of cool fill material advantageously cools outer portion 50(i.e., fluid confectionery 36) of each rope 46 from the inside. It isunderstood that a cooling belt, alone or in combination with chilledfill material, may be used to cool extrudate 44 upstream of formingdevice 60.

In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may include a cooling system in operativecommunication with rotating drums 68, 70. The cooling system may be usedto introduce a flow of cool or chilled fluid (i.e., cold water, liquidnitrogen, and the like) into and out of the interior of rotating drums68, 70 in order to cool the circumferential surfaces and correspondinglycool forming members 62, 64. In an embodiment, the forming members 62,64 may have a temperature from about −78° C. to about 25° C., or fromabout 0° C. to about 20° C. Cooled forming members advantageously reducethe occurrence of adhesion between the forming members and extrudate 44and/or confectionery component 66.

In yet a further embodiment, the forming members 62, 64 may includeorifices whereby a jet of air may be blown to assist in the release ofconfectionery component 66 from the forming members.

In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may further include transport device 74for receiving and transporting sealed center-filled confectionerycomponents 66 as shown in FIG. 1. Transport device 74 may transport web72 to a separating device 76 that separates web 72 into a plurality ofindividual discrete sealed center-filled confectionery products 78. Inan embodiment, separating device 76 may be a breaking drum. Individualcenter-filled confectionery products 78 may be transported by transportdevice 80 for further processing. For example, center-filledconfectionery product 78 may be transported to a coating device to coatthe product, center-filled confectionery products 78 may be transportedto a curing device for curing, and/or products 78 may be transported toa packaging device for packaging.

In an embodiment, a coating may be applied to products 78. Products 78may be coated with a coating material to form a soft shell coating or ahard shell coating as is commonly known in the art. The coating processmay include a repetitive powder charge/syrup charge pan coating processto build, layer by layer, a coating upon each individual center-filledconfectionary product 78. Nonlimiting examples of suitable coatingmaterials include sugars, polyols, or combinations thereof, in powderand/or syrup form. In an embodiment, the coating may be a crystalline ora glassy coating. The sugars or polyols may be, for example, a componentof a syrup that is sprayed onto products 78 in a pan coating device. Drycharges of the sugar/polyol may be applied between syrup applications.The coating may also include a sweetener, a flavorant, a film formingagent, a colorant, a sensation producing ingredient, and combinationsthereof. The sweetener may be sugar, sugar-based, or sugar-free.Non-limiting examples of suitable sweeteners include, maltitol,sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, isomalt, lactitol, xylitol andcombinations thereof. High intensity sweeteners may also be utilized inthe coating. Nonlimiting examples of suitable sensation producingingredients may include a cooling agent, a food grade acid, a flavorant,and combinations thereof.

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict sealed center-filled confectionery product 78.Center-filled confectionery product 78 includes a fill portion 82 thatis surrounded or otherwise encased by outer portion 84. Portions 82 and84 may be any confectionery material as previously discussed herein. Inan embodiment, fill portion 82 may be a liquid such as a flavored and/orsweetened and/or colored syrup and outer portion 84 may be a chewinggum.

Sealed center-filled confectionery product 78 may also include a flange86 that may extend around the periphery R of the center-filledconfectionery product 78. In an embodiment, the flange 86 may extendaround or surround the entirety of the periphery R. In other words, theflange 86 may surround the entire perimeter or circumference ofconfectionery product 78 as shown in FIG. 9. In an embodiment, flange 86may have a length S as shown in FIG. 9. The size or extent of length Smay be uniform or otherwise consistent about entire periphery R. Theskilled artisan will appreciate that portions of flange 86 correspond tostrand 52 that adjoined adjacent center-filled confectionery ropes inextrudate 44. The remaining portions of flange 86 may be the result ofthe crimping and cutting process of the forming device. For example,sealed edges 79 (shown in FIG. 10) are a component of the flange 86,edges 79 being formed as a result of the crimping and cutting of theextrudate that occurs during the forming process. In an embodiment, fillportion 82 may be wholly encased within outer portion 84 resulting inno, or substantially no, fill material being present in or within flange86. Thus, in an embodiment, none, or substantially none, of fill portion82 is visible when a consumer views a product 78. It will be recognizedthat a crimping and cutting process which first moves fill material awayfrom the opposing sides of outer portion 84 before the outer portionopposing sides come together for crimping, attachment, and cutting maycontribute to the provision of a substantially fill-free, or fillmaterial-free, flange 86.

In an embodiment, center-filled confectionery product 78 may include acoating 88 on an outer surface of outer portion 84 and as shown in FIG.10. Coating 88 may be a soft or a hard coating as previously discussed.The coating may be from about 1% to about 20% by weight of product 78.In a further embodiment, fill portion 82 may be present from about 1% toabout 16%, or from about 5% to about 15%, or from about 10% to about 12%by weight of product 78. The coating 88 any include any coating materialand/or coating component as previously discussed herein. The coating 88may be applied as previously discussed herein or as otherwise commonlyknown in the art.

Alternatively, web 72 may be coated. Web 72 may be coated with anycoating material and/or coating component as discussed herein, thecoating applied to web 72 may be a pre-coat or a final coat as desired.

In an embodiment, the forming process (i.e., formation of web 72 withforming members 62, 64) may be coordinated with the filling of theconfectionery ropes with fill material. A controller (not shown) may beoperatively connected to flow regulator 42 and forming device 60. Uponinitial engagement of forming members 62, 64 with extrudate 44 (initialcrimping), the controller may direct flow regulator 42 to initiate flowof fill material 36 into confectionery ropes 46 simultaneously with thecrimping and/or cutting. The flow of fill material may occurintermittently, for about 0.1 seconds to about 3 seconds, for example.Alternatively, the flow of fill material into the ropes may becontinuous. Nonlimiting examples of suitable controllers may include atiming device, a programmable logic control, and the like.

In this context, the controller may direct a pulse pumping of fillmaterial 38 whereby the fill material may be intermittently introducedinto the confectionery ropes simultaneously with the crimping ofextrudate 44 by the forming device 60. This intermittent introduction offill material into the extrudate coordinated with the crimping andcutting action of forming device 60 may advantageously prevent backflowof fill material 36 in extrudate 44 and/or conduits 22. Backflow may beconsidered a flow in a direction opposite of the extrudate flow(extrudate flow shown by direction arrow G). Prevention of backflowbeneficially contributes to the formation and maintenance of ropes 46having a uniform size and diameter along the length thereof and theprovision of a uniform amount of fill material with each rope and alongsubstantially the entire length of the extrudate.

In an embodiment, the center-filled confectionery product 78 may beproduced by an apparatus and method as disclosed in commonly-owned,co-pending patent application entitled “Apparatus for ProducingCenter-Filled Confectionery and Method,” Attorney Docket No.0112703-1292, and/or commonly-owned, co-pending patent applicationentitled “Apparatus for Forming Center-Filled Confectionery and Method,”Attorney Docket No. 112703-1297, each of which is concurrently filedherewith and each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

Further advantages of the multiple rope extrusion process provided byapparatus 10 are many. First, provision of straight conduits 22 permitsgreater flow control of the fill material. Straight conduits 22 providea more precise fill and consistent flow rate of fill material into eachrope 46. Moreover, the flow rates between the multiple conduits may becontrolled with a high degree of precision to provide a uniform fillmaterial flow rate between the conduits. In an embodiment, each conduit22 may be operatively connected to a pressure regulator that detects thefluid pressure of the fill material in each rope 46. Any inconsistenciesin pressure between the ropes, resulting from flow blockage for example,may be readily detected and addressed.

Second, the capability to form web 72 of 2, 5, 10, 20, or 30 or moreadjoined sealed center-filled confectionery pieces increases the per-runoutput capacity when compared to conventional single rope processingequipment. This increase in per-run capacity by apparatus 10 permits theflow rate of extrudate 44 to be decreased without the a loss in per-runoutput, particularly when compared to production systems based on asingle rope extrusion process. Apparatus 10 thereby provides a slowerextrudate flow rate which enables greater control and precision of 1)filling of fill material 36 into ropes 46, 2) extrusion of fluidconfectionery 38, and 3) the crimping and cutting of extrudate 44 withforming device 60. Improved control of flow and process parameterstranslates into increased production yields—i.e., the reduction orelimination of leakers. Leakers may be considered unacceptable productresulting from a faulty seal of outer portion 50 (fluid confectionery)around inner portion 48 (fill material). Leakers exhibit leakedcenter-fill material present on the exterior surfaces of sealedcenter-filled confectionery component 66 (either web 72 or products 78).Leakers may result from improper forming, uneven filling of fillmaterial, and combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may provide an extrudate flow rate fromabout 2 m/mm to 20 m/mm, or about 10 m/min with a product output of 8200individual center-filled confectionery pieces per minute. This stands asa marked improvement over conventional center-filled confectioneryproduction systems that typically operate with an extrudate flow rate ofabout 45 m/min and a product output of about 2600 individualcenter-filled confectionery pieces per minute.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present subjectmatter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is thereforeintended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appendedclaims.

1. A confectionery product comprising: an outer portion; a fill portionin the outer portion; and a flange surrounding a periphery of theconfectionery product.
 2. The confectionery product of claim 1 whereinthe flange is integral with the outer portion.
 3. The confectioneryproduct of claim 1 wherein the flange surrounds the entire periphery ofthe confectionery product.
 4. The confectionery product of claim 1wherein the confectionery material is selected from the group consistingof hard candy, soft candy, fondants, toffee, taffy, gel candy, chewinggum, chocolate, nougat, and combinations thereof.
 5. The confectioneryproduct of claim 1 wherein the fill portion is selected from groupconsisting of a liquid, a semi-liquid, a syrup, a gel, a paste, asemi-solid, a flowable solid, and combinations thereof.
 6. Theconfectionery product of claim 1 wherein the outer portion is a chewinggum and the fill portion is a liquid.
 7. The confectionery product ofclaim 1 wherein the fill portion further comprises a fill material, theflange containing substantially no fill material.
 8. The confectioneryproduct of claim 1 wherein the fill portion is not visible when theconfectionery product is viewed by a consumer.
 9. The confectioneryproduct of claim 1 wherein the flange further comprises a sealed edge.10. The confectionery product of claim 1 wherein the flange has auniform length about the entire periphery of the confectionery product.11. The confectionery product of claim 1 wherein the fill portion isfrom about 1% to about 16% by weight of the confectionery product.
 12. Aconfectionery product comprising: an outer portion; a fill portion; aflange surrounding a periphery of the confectionery product; and acoating.
 13. The confectionery product of claim 12 wherein the coatingis from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the confectionery product.14. The confectionery product of claim 12 wherein the coating isselected from the group consisting of maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol,mannitol, isomalt, lactitol, xylitol and combinations thereof.
 15. Theconfectionery product of claim 12 wherein the coating further comprisesa sensation producing ingredient selected from the group consisting of acooling agent, a food grade acid, a flavorant, and combinations thereof.16. A method for producing a center-filled confectionery productcomprising: separating a web of adjoined center-filled confectionerypieces into a plurality of center-filled confectionery products; andforming a flange around an entire periphery of each center-filledconfectionery product.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprisingextruding an extrudate comprising a plurality of adjoined center-filledconfectionery ropes and sealing opposing ends of the extrudate to formthe web of adjoined center-filled confectionery pieces.
 18. The methodof claim 16 wherein the separating further comprises breaking the webalong strands adjoining the center-filled confectionery ropes.
 19. Themethod of claim 16 further comprising coating the web with a coatingmaterial.
 20. The method of claim 16 further comprising coating theplurality of center-filled confectionery products with a coatingmaterial.